Those in the U.S. involved in Greco-Roman — an upper-body-only style that gained worldwide notice when Rulon Gardner beat Russia’s Alexander Karelin for gold in 2000 — seem thrilled about the potential.

Coaches and wrestlers in Greco-Roman and freestyle have expressed support for the cumulative scoring built into the new rules. In the past, a competitor barely could win the first of three periods and be outscored and out-wrestled in other periods and still retain the possibility of winning.

Cumulative scoring, paired with two three-minute periods as opposed to three two-minute periods in the old system, is expected to force competitors to keep pushing for scores — and be awarded for that continued aggressiveness.

The former set of rules allowed a Greco-Roman wrestler to avoid risk in the first 90 seconds of a match before being placed into positions known as “down” or “up.”

If a wrestler felt one of those positions provided a unique advantage, they could stall or remain passive to wait out a chance to win the period.

“It’s very, very positive,” said Fraser, a 1984 Olympic gold medalist in Greco-Roman. “Everybody in the United States I’ve talked to — and I’m sure around the world, based on a conversations I’ve had with my coach friends from foreign countries — are really happy.

“This is a drastic change, and it’s needed.”

Jordan Holm, a U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler who competed in college at Northern Iowa, said the changes have the potential to build excitement — and fan bases.

“I think cumulative scoring is easier to understand for fans and more scoring is more fun to watch,” Holm said. “I’m excited that these rules encourage action. In the previous rules, people would stall until they were placed in their favorite position. They just hang out and hold their ground.”

FILA reworked its rules to help gain favor with the International Olympic Committee, whose executive board voted to remove wrestling from the core sports program after the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Wrestling has been fighting since to show change in the area of leadership, rules and women’s involvement to regain a spot for 2020 and 2024 during a final IOC vote Sept. 8.

Fraser said rule changes that now will penalize a wrestler for keeping his head down or grabbing hands to limit action undoubtedly will benefit Greco-Roman long-term, as well.

“People will be forced to engage chest to chest in the old Greco-Roman tradition,” he said. “That’s a good thing. It brings back conditioning, it brings back endurance, which has always been a U.S. asset.”

Fraser expressed mild concerns about other rules, such as a seven-point mercy rule or 3- and 5-point throws that have the potential to end matches. Holm added that he would love to see overtime added to the current setup, too.

For the most part, however, the two agree that Greco-Roman is in better position now than it was four months ago.

“Overall, I’m really excited about it,” Holm said. “I think fans will appreciate it and scoreboards will show it’s more exciting.”

== CATCH A GLIMPSE OF GRECO ==

Watch U.S. Greco-Roman coach Steve Fraser win the first gold medal in American history:

Here’s the NBC Olympic build-up about Alexander Karelin at the 2000 Games before he was upset by Rulon Gardner of the U.S. for the gold medal:

Here’s the Karelin/Gardner match. Extra credit points for those who speak the language of the broadcasters: